First supervisory meeting checklist
code of practice and research award regulations
Has the student accessedthe UoS PGR site for the following?
The UoS Code of Practiceand AcademicRegulations for Research Programmes
Documents and forms
Has the student accessed the School PGRS Blackboard site/Resources?
Do they have any questions about the content of the School Handbook (available from your Research Support Officer)?
SUPERVISORY PROCESS
Does the student understand the roles of the supervisor, co-supervisor and their own role in the context of duties and responsibilities?It is important to explore expectations and reset them if necessary. Plan ahead with milestone dates and the initial first few meetings. Discuss roles and seesection five in the Code of Practice.
Do they understand the purpose of supervisory records, what to do with them and how to complete?It needs to state what has been done, what was discussed during the meeting, what is planned between supervisory meetings (tasks and targets) and what the agenda is for the next meeting.It is the responsibility of the student to complete this, ask you as supervisor to sign it and then upload to Salford Advantage
Does the student understand the importance of the learning agreement and how to complete it? – it needs to be completed within 3 monthsof the student’s registration date.NB However, as this is the blueprint for the student’s research and developmental activities it is helpful to both supervisors and the student if it is completed early (particularly for Part time students). Remember that it needs to be amended if there is a major change in methodology or a change in supervisor.
Milestone / progression dates
Do they understand about Annual Progress reports and Annual self-evaluation report and the importance of these? need to mention that these go to SREC for approval and if there are any concerns about progress (the APR from the supervisor) this will be identified and action taken (this can lead to termination of candidature if supervisors have grave concerns).
Does the student understand the purpose and requirements for the interim assessment and the internal evaluation? NB Aim for Interim Assessment at 9 months from registration (Especially for international students).
Do they know the dates for their IA, IE and potential date for notice of intention to submit their thesis (Notice of Presentation)and completion? (The completion year includes writing up, viva and 3 months for potential corrections and so writing up is approx. 8 months).
Progression: Section seven of theCode of Practice
Forms
Do they understand how a PhD is evaluated / assessed?
Doctoral degrees are awarded to students who have demonstrated:
- the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, through original research or other advanced scholarship, of a quality to satisfy peer review, extend the forefront of the discipline, and merit publication
- a systematic acquisition and understanding of a substantial body of knowledge which is at the forefront of an academic discipline or area of professional practice
- the general ability to conceptualise, design and implement a project for the generation of new knowledge, applications or understanding at the forefront of the discipline, and to adjust the project design in the light of unforeseen problems
- a detailed understanding of applicable techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry.
THE STUDENTS RESEARCH
Does the student have a clear purpose for their area of enquiry – research question? (see Appendix I Formulation of a Research Question
Do they understand what a literature review entails? Do they need the support of the Library or directing to online resources? Training in Endnote or Mendeley be useful at this point of their studies.
For support contact the Academic Support Librarian for your subject area, see for contact details.
Or the web page -
It might be pertinent to discuss here their plans for their research in relation to resources even though they may not have firmed up their research aim and objectives.
Health and Safety – raise an awareness of this in the first meeting. You may also need to revisit this once the research method has been decided and any potential hazards or risks associated with their planned research identified. This is something the ethics application covers but there may be other issues for example, lone working in labs is not recommended particularly if participants have conditions that may put them in the risk category for heart attacks and other life threatening events; lone working with equipment in workshops should not happen and students should adhere to the local policies for Health and Safety.
Do they know where to find copies of theses of similar areas, potential methodologies?
Do they understand what plagiarism is and how to use Turnitin to check for originality?
Student support / training
Do they have the need for English language training for example English for academic purposes? If so they need to register for this ASAP
Have they met/ been introduced to fellow students?
Do they have the required desk and computer?
Do they know where administrative support is located? – AskUS at University House, PGR Support 7th Floor Maxwell
Have they met the PGR Director? The contact details for each School’s PGR Director are at
Has a meeting been scheduled with their personal tutor? Although the personal tutor may cover general developmental needs and support students who are having personal difficulties, specific Training needs in relation to the students’ academic work need to be discussed with their supervisors.
Does the student know about the Resources Available?
SPoRT
Vitae
Training and development
PGR Calendar
NB Students need to print out any training attended UOS and supply this at IA and IE. Also useful for Annual Progress Report and the annual Self-Evaluation Report
INTERUPTIONS/EXTENSIONS
Do they understand when and for what reasons they can take an interruption of study?
Interruptions of study will not be granted on the basis of what could be reasonably interpreted as a day-today type problem or for the fact that the student is behind with their studies. Sickness is the main reason and need to be applied for ASAP not retrospectively except in exceptional circumstances. Interrupts can be for no longer than one year and the total must not exceed 12 months.
When and for what reasons can a student apply for an extension to study?
Reasons can include financial, health, maternity, work or personal as per the guidance on the form – however the student needs to pay fees for the period of extension. Documentary evidence is required and it is not advised to apply for a retrospective extension. An interruption to study is the best option and must be taken when the need for the interruption occurs.
In both cases applying is not confirmation that it will be granted and the outcome of the applications are decided by the School research committeeand award board
OTHER INFO
Student reps and community: details of the rep for each School are at
AskUS
APPENDIX I
PhD – formulation of research question byDr Anita Williams
Phase 1
Starting point - What is the real world problem that you have identified (the bigger picture)
What has brought you to study/investigate the problem through a PhD?
- What is the impact, significance, importance of the problem?
- What are the issues related to the problem
- Then - Learn more about the problem ( background info / introduction)
- Challenge the problem (lit review)
- Is there still the same problem?
- Redefine the problem (is there a difference between the old and the new problem?)
- What is the aim of your research to address the problem?
- What is the research question you will aim to answer?
- What objectives will help you to achieve this?
- What research philosophy do you have?
Phase 2
Checking that the research question reflects where you started, checking the impact and relevance of your work
- What do you need to know about the problem to achieve your aim?
- Why do you need to know that?
- How could the problem be different?
- What will be the impact of your work to users (go back to the bigger picture).
- Why is that impact important (will it solve the problem?)
- Is that all you need to know before you go further?
Phase 3
Moving towards methodology and interim assessment
- What data would allow you to address the problem?
- What method of data collection is appropriate to achieve this?
- What are the criteria for evaluating the best methods?
- What data variables do you need and why?
- What tests/quality assurance mechanisms will you use to test the data?
- What assumptions are you making in choosing the methods that you chose
- What are the limitations of these methods
- Are the limitations acceptable
Oct 2016v1